Hundreds of thousands of extra train journeys last year put the borough’s stations under increasing strain.

More than 4.5m passengers were recorded entering Surbiton, the busiest station, in 2012/13, up more than 200,000 from the year before.

That works out at more than 12,000 entries per day, up from 7,600 10 years ago.

More than 2,300 people changed trains every day at Surbiton last year.

The number of entries at Kingston is on course to break the 3m mark this financial year, while the figures for Chessington South and Malden Manor appear to be falling, according to Office of Rail Regulation statistics.

Last year South West Trains promised longer trains during rush hour, amid yet more above-inflation fare rises.

Stephen Knight, Liberal Democrat London Assembly member for southwest London, said: “It’s important that our stations are upgraded to cope with the extra numbers, and that facilities are improved, and that train operating companies provide the necessary trains and carriages to cope.”

Surrey Comet:

New tracks were recently installed at Surbiton, with improvements to lighting and platform canopies currently underway.

Plans to extend platforms at Kingston could cause problems for motorists, however, after Kingston Council announced plans to close Richmond Road between Sopwith Way and Cromwell Road.

The closure could be enforced from Saturday, March 15, with work on platforms expected to take a month.

A diversion would be put in place through Cromwell Road, Queen Elizabeth Road, London Road, Park Road, and Elm Road.